Skip to content
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Online information seeking by patients with bipolar disorder: results from an international multisite survey
International Journal of Bipolar Disorders, Volume 4, No. 1, Article 17, Year 2016
Notification
URL copied to clipboard!
Description
Background: Information seeking is an important coping mechanism for dealing with chronic illness. Despite a growing number of mental health websites, there is little understanding of how patients with bipolar disorder use the Internet to seek information. Methods: A 39 question, paper-based, anonymous survey, translated into 12 languages, was completed by 1222 patients in 17 countries as a convenience sample between March 2014 and January 2016. All patients had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder from a psychiatrist. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and generalized estimating equations to account for correlated data. Results: 976 (81 % of 1212 valid responses) of the patients used the Internet, and of these 750 (77 %) looked for information on bipolar disorder. When looking online for information, 89 % used a computer rather than a smartphone, and 79 % started with a general search engine. The primary reasons for searching were drug side effects (51 %), to learn anonymously (43 %), and for help coping (39 %). About 1/3 rated their search skills as expert, and 2/3 as basic or intermediate. 59 % preferred a website on mental illness and 33 % preferred Wikipedia. Only 20 % read or participated in online support groups. Most patients (62 %) searched a couple times a year. Online information seeking helped about 2/3 to cope (41 % of the entire sample). About 2/3 did not discuss Internet findings with their doctor. Conclusion: Online information seeking helps many patients to cope although alternative information sources remain important. Most patients do not discuss Internet findings with their doctor, and concern remains about the quality of online information especially related to prescription drugs. Patients may not rate search skills accurately, and may not understand limitations of online privacy. More patient education about online information searching is needed and physicians should recommend a few high quality websites. © 2016, The Author(s).
Authors & Co-Authors
Conell, Jörn
Germany, Dresden
Technische Universität Dresden
Schmid, Rita
Germany, Dresden
Technische Universität Dresden
Glenn, Tasha
United States, Fullerton
Chronorecord Association
Alda, Martin
Canada, Halifax
Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine
Ardau, Raffaella
Italy, Cagliari
Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Di Cagliari
Baune, Bernhard T.
Australia, Adelaide
Adelaide Medical School
Berk, Michael
Australia, Geelong
Deakin University
Australia, Geelong
Barwon Health
Australia, Melbourne
University of Melbourne
Australia, Melbourne
The Florey
Australia, Melbourne
Orygen Youth Health
Bersudsky, Yuly
Israel, Beer-sheva
Beer Sheva Mental Health Center
Bilderbeck, Amy C.
United Kingdom, Oxford
University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division
Bossini, Letizia
Italy, Siena
Università Degli Studi Di Siena
Paredes Castro, Angela Marianne
Australia, Geelong
Deakin University
Australia, Geelong
Barwon Health
Cheung, Eric Yat Wo
China, Hong Kong
Castle Peak Hospital Hong Kong
Chillotti, Caterina
Italy, Cagliari
Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Di Cagliari
Del Zompo, Maria
Italy, Cagliari
Università Degli Studi Di Cagliari
Dodd, Seetal M.
Australia, Geelong
Deakin University
Australia, Geelong
Barwon Health
Australia, Melbourne
University of Melbourne
Etain, Bruno
France, Paris
Ap-hp Assistance Publique - Hopitaux de Paris
Fagiolini, Andrea M.
Italy, Siena
Università Degli Studi Di Siena
Geddes, John Richard
United Kingdom, Oxford
University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division
González-Pinto, Ana María
Spain, Madrid
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental
Goodwin, Guy M.
United Kingdom, Oxford
University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division
Grof, Paul
Canada, Toronto
University of Toronto
Harima, Hirohiko
Japan, Tokyo
Tokyo Metropolitan Matsuzawa Hospital
Hassel, Stefanie
United Kingdom, Birmingham
Aston University
Henry, Chantal
France, Paris
Ap-hp Assistance Publique - Hopitaux de Paris
France, Paris
Institut Pasteur, Paris
Lafer, Beny
Brazil, Sao Paulo
Universidade de São Paulo
Larsen, Erik Roj
Denmark, Aarhus
Aarhus Universitetshospital
Lewitzka, Ute
Germany, Dresden
Technische Universität Dresden
Licht, Rasmus Wentzer
Denmark, Aalborg
Aalborg Universitetshospital
Denmark, Aalborg
Aalborg University
Misiak, Błażej ˙zej
Poland, Wroclaw
Wroclaw Medical University
Piotrowski, Patryk
Poland, Wroclaw
Wroclaw Medical University
Monteith, Scott
United States, Grand Rapids
Msu College of Human Medicine
Muñoz, Rodrigo A.
United States, La Jolla
University of California, San Diego
Nielsen, René Ernst
Denmark, Aalborg
Aalborg Universitetshospital
O'Donovan, Claire
Canada, Halifax
Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine
Osher, Yamima
Israel, Beer-sheva
Beer Sheva Mental Health Center
Reif, Andreas
Germany, Frankfurt am Main
Goethe-universität Frankfurt am Main
Ritter, Philipp S.
Germany, Dresden
Technische Universität Dresden
Rybakowski, Janusz K.
Poland, Poznan
Poznan University of Medical Sciences
Sagduyu, Kemal
United States, Kansas City
Umkc School of Medicine
Miranda-Scippa, Ängela Marisa De Aquino
Brazil, Salvador
Universidade Federal da Bahia
Suominen, Kirsi H.
Finland, Helsinki
City of Helsinki
Tatebayashi, Yoshitaka
Japan, Tokyo
Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science
Tondo, Leonardo
United States, Boston
Harvard Medical School
Vieta, Eduard
Spain, Barcelona
Institut D'investigacions Biomèdiques August pi I Sunyer - Idibaps
Viswanath, Biju
India, Bengaluru
National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences
Zetin, Mark M.
United States, Orange
Chapman University
Whybrow, Peter C.
United States, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
Bauer, Michael
Germany, Dresden
Technische Universität Dresden
Statistics
Citations: 28
Authors: 48
Affiliations: 44
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1186/s40345-016-0058-0
ISSN:
21947511
Research Areas
Health System And Policy
Mental Health
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Quantitative